Just don't do it!

[XCashier]

I think the OP just broke my brain.

What kind of idiot not only leaves her purse unattended, but blames everyone else but herself for it?! You keep your stuff with you at all times! Or you lock it up somewhere secure (like, say, inside your own hotel room!!!).

I don't know which is worse, deliberate stupidity or profound hubris. And this idiot had both in spades.

[TheCheerfulTreeRat]

It has Petronius the Arbiter in it?

Mrow? Mrow!

[eltf177]

What kind of idiot not only leaves her purse unattended, but blames everyone else but herself for it?!

And then doesn't bother to apologize when proven wrong?

I don't know which is worse, deliberate stupidity or profound hubris. And this idiot had both in spades.

Agreed. Pity this idiot can't be banhammered for this...

[lordlundar]

It wouldn't stop all theft any more than a bike lock would,

After dealing with having to remove a docking station "secured" with one of those, I would say the bike lock would offer better protection.

Yes, we did remove the station, no, we did not have a key. Yes, you can tear it off that easily, and no, there was no repercussions for it (with this site anything we removed was being destroyed.) Half a second to tear it off. That's all it took.

[Food Lady]

I was out somewhere yesterday and turned a corner and saw a cart with a purse just sitting there. I totally could've grabbed that bag and run in order to teach that person a lesson. I never would, though. People here are way too trusting.

[WishfulSpirit]

After dealing with having to remove a docking station "secured" with one of those, I would say the bike lock would offer better protection.

Yes, we did remove the station, no, we did not have a key. Yes, you can tear it off that easily, and no, there was no repercussions for it (with this site anything we removed was being destroyed.) Half a second to tear it off. That's all it took.

I agree the bike lock would be better, but nobody ever stole (or as far as I could tell so much as touched) my laptop with that lock on it. I think it was more a "don't want to look like I'm stealing this so I won't tear out the lock" thing than "the lock actually prevents theft" thing. Plus it was right out in view of about a dozen people, not tucked away in a corner. Do you think the combination ones were any better? That's the kind I had.

[Jetfire]

Last year, my bike walked away from me. It was an older bike I was going to replace eventually anyway. I got into the habit of leaving it at the (outside) base of the stairs up to my 2nd floor condo, and I was lazy and didn't lock it.

One day I came home, and realized "Wait a second, I'm not dodging around something.... oh crap... When did I last see it?.... Oh well."

I kicked myself for being so stupid and lazy not to lock it up, and didn't blame anyone for it walking away. I did look around a bit to no avail and chalked it up as a learning experience.

I did get a new bike this spring; much better than the old one. When I'm not riding it and I'm home, it is sitting under my kitchen window... INSIDE my condo. When I'm riding and stop somewhere to get off, it is always locked up.

[Dreamstalker]

I see so many people leave their purses etc. in the shopping cart while they go down the aisle...at times I'm tempted to hide it someplace, but obviously with my being in uniform it would end badly.

This year two purses and an iPad have walked off. Why in the name of Gozer's teddy bear would you leave that unattended? Unless you thought you could get the store to pay for it, which I think is the motivation behind a lot of this stuff -.-

I've found smartphones left at SCO--luckily the owner comes back for it often when I still have it in-hand at the service desk--and one of our mildly unhinged regulars recently had the cops called over an unmarked envelope with $300 in it...that she found at home much later

[Mikkel]

Last year, my bike walked away from me. It was an older bike I was going to replace eventually anyway.

Heh, when I had my bikeshop a guy came one day to buy a new lock. It seems that he had locked the bike, but forgotten to take the key with him. Someone had seen it and stolen the lock, but left the bike .
The funniest was how offended the man was, He kept on about how it was a good bike, it just needed a bit of work.

[Becks]

People here are way too trusting.

Not me.

I'm a cynical bitch.

[lordlundar]

Do you think the combination ones were any better? That's the kind I had.

Nah, the method doesn't matter because the connection is largely the same regardless. Whether it's key or combination it can be ripped off quite easily. Wouldn't even damage the system apart from the damaged hole.

[Mental_Mouse]

If there's such a thing as Darwin awards for victims of crime, I think she just won it...

Technically there could be a Darwin award for theft... but aside from urban legends about sleeping with strange ladies, it's pretty hard to leave those unattended!

[Slave to the Phone]

The food stamp office I work in usually has at least 50 people in the lobby from opening to closing. It always amazes me how many people ask where the restroom is and then stand up and leave their stuff in the kiosk.

Some thieves are really mean, though. I once owned a "made on a Friday afternoon" car. It was a horrible car, minor things kept breaking all the time. One day, I closed the door and the window crank handle broke in half. I hated it and I couldn't get the dealership to take it back.

It was insured for more than it was worth. I wanted someone to steal it so when a friend and I went to a huge concert, we parked next to each other.

She carefully locked her old beater up while I left my doors open and the keys in the ignition.

Does anyone want to guess who lost their car that night? I was so mad!

[Dreamstalker]

I recently lost my keys in the store...no identifying info on them which is good (don't have to worry about management trying to charge us for changing locks). Sucks having to spend birthday money on a new keyring and keys though...but mom wanted to get extra keys anyway so she paid for those.

The keyring they were on is fairly distinctive (I had bought a KeySmart Rugged over the summer). It was clipped to my work pants; clip on the outside, keys in my pocket and the clip is attached on the inside of the holder so unlikely that could it have fallen off without my noticing. I strongly suspect someone found it, ditched the keys and kept the holder (if they could figure out how to put it back together...).